As winter months approach, workers who are required to work outdoor in cold environments and for extended periods are at high risk of cold stress and low temperature sickness.
Construction employees, repair workers, snow cleanup crews, delivery people, police officers, firemen, emergency medical technicians…are only some examples of all these people who have to face a big, natural hazard: cold weather.
What should you know to ensure your safety outdoor?
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What to wear to keep your body warm
The first rule when working in very difficult weather conditions is to wear at least three layers of clothing – outer, middle and inner – which will provide much more protection than a single, thicker garment: did you know that the air trapped between the layers acts as an insulator and warms you up?
That’s the effect of the so-called layering system. The other big advantage of layering is that you can constantly adjust to climate changing to perform at your best. But which pieces of clothes should you choose?
Body and layering system
The main task of the outer layer is to protect you from wind and water while allowing some ventilation, which means the garment has to be breathable, windproof and – when working in wet conditions – waterproof.
You have many options to choose from: winter work parkas, 3 in 1 jackets, shell jackets, lined bibs and waterproof rain pants are only some of the many possibilities.
The middle layer purpose is to trap body heat, absorb sweat and provide insulation – even when wet.
Warm pants made in linen cotton or heavyweight synthetic materials like polyester + cotton are a good choice for lower body, simply remember to avoid a too tight fit to leave some space for air to circulate.
All thick shirts, jackets and sweaters do the job when it comes to upper body: you have a broad range of materials to choose from, like wool – especially Merino wool – and wool-blend, polyester fleece, goose down or even synthetic.
The inner layer should keep moisture away from skin and provide good ventilation. All the lightweight thermal underwear is perfect for this task: choose something made from synthetic fibers, wool or silk and avoid cotton because it has tendency to rap moisture and become soggy.
How to protect your head and face
Head protection is incredibly crucial! The fact we can lose up to 40% body heating when our head is exposed should always kept in mind while working outdoor with cold weather.
Which style to use is totally up to you and almost every hat will do the job – no matter if synthetic or wool – as long as you remind to also cover ears. Sometimes you can consider balaclava: it protects you greatly, covers also your mouth and nose and gives you the possibility of rolling it up to wear it like a normal beanie.
A quick tip on eyes protection? Remember it should be separated from nose and mouth – think about ski goggles – to prevent fogging and frosting. Consider also investing some money on UV protection and resistance to ice or snow blowing when working during high winds.
Use gloves for your hands
You have surely experienced and know how easy is to get cold hands: this is easily explained by the fact that fingers have a small volume comparing to their surface area, which leads to a quick loss of heat and, in general, poor heat retaining.
In fact, you don’t need to have particularly cold hands to start compromising your manual dexterity and consequently affecting whatever you are doing.
You can choose from various styles – lightweight gloves, winter work gloves, mittens, work mittens – but always remember that you will rarely find a magical pair of gloves which are thin and ultra-warm at the same time. Try to find the correct compromise for your needs.
Safety boots and technical socks will help your feet
Cold comes not only from air! Insulation from cold grounds is equally important. To be sure you are totally protected, you can focus on three points:
- Socks
- Insoles
- Winter Boots
You can easily find special insulating socks on the market: wool is the best insulator – try to find some with at least 70% of it – while a small amount of synthetic fiber will ensure socks durability and comfort while wearing them.
Thermal insoles can be a nice addition and can be added to any shoe, keeping in mind that they are not a substitute of specific winter boots.
Winter safety boots make the real difference during hard cold weather and you should definitively consider getting a couple if you are going to work outdoor. You have a wide range to choose from but never forget to pick something which guarantee the needed level of protection – from anti-slip properties to heavy falling objects – while keeping your feet warm and dry with temperature way below 0°C.
Protection and insulation is achieved by using special membranes, fibers and lining. Investing in a pair of good winter safety boots is a great choice.
Be prepared to potential illnesses
The second important step – after properly protecting yourself with adequate winter clothes – is being aware of potential illnesses and risky situations that can happen while working in cold outdoor environments.
Many people underestimate how wind can significantly lower air and body temperature and, actually, the proportion is easy: the higher the speed on wind, the lower your perceived temperature will be.
To explain it in simple words, when we are warm we heat air close to our skin creating a small insulating layer. Wind can disrupt this layer and replace the warm air with cooler one. In extreme conditions, with air temperatures of -25°C and stormy weather, perceived temperature can drop to -25°C, greatly increasing the risk of frostbite or other adverse effects. In similar conditions it would be very risky to leave skin unprotected even for more than two minutes.
Shivering, lack of coordination, slurred speech, cold skin and fumbling hands are all potential signs of hypothermia. If you recognize any of these symptoms it’s very important to quickly move to a warm place, replace all the wet clothes with dry ones and drink warm, sugary drinks. Placing warm objects on your head, chest and neck while properly covering completely all the extremities is another good practice, but avoid pouring warm water directly on affected areas as this will warm up the area too fast and actually increase the damage.
If these symptoms do not subside, never underestimate them or try to be a hero: the best idea is to look for aid and call an ambulance.
Planning
Planning is crucial when having to work outdoor in cold weather and according to air temperature, wind speed, nature of work and working hours some additional protection could be required.
If you constantly work in temperatures below 0° you should have some heated shelters – cabins, tents or special resting rooms – where you can warm up and change your clothes if sweat. Placing some thermometers so that every crew member can monitor temperature changes is also a very good habit.
Last but not least, all your work tools should be properly designed and prepared to perform in cold weather: just to mention an example, metal handles and bars should be covered by thermal insulating material.
Nutrition
Particular attention should be paid to nutrition, as your body while require more energy while working to keep you warm. Eat balanced meals frequently and drink a lot to prevent dehydration.
Avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks or, at least, keep them to the minimum: they will increase your blood flow and expand blood vessels causing heat loss in your body and increasing the risk of hypothermia.
Working in temperatures below -12°
When temperatures get below -12° you should consider working with somebody else to observe each other and the total rate of work has to be adjusted not to be too high and cause excessive sweating. Minimizing periods of too long sitting and standing is a good practice, as well as scheduling the heaviest work for the warmer moments of the day.
In general, it’s normal to expect a drop of performance even from a worker prepared for cold outdoor activities. New employees, on the other hand, should have some time to adjust and some special instructions and procedures to follow while learning how to recognize any symptoms of cold stress or hypothermia.